Inclinometer methods and systems for generating and calibrating an in-vehicle inclination angle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10002469-B2
Application number	US-201615261260-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2016
Priority date	Sep 9, 2016
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

Provided herein are inclinometer methods and systems for generating an in-vehicle inclination angle (θ r ). An inclinometer method can include measuring an acceleration ({dot over (ν)}) of a vehicle or a vehicle member, measuring a pitch angular velocity (q) of a computer, measuring a longitudinal accelerometer signal (a x,S ) of the computer, generating an in-vehicle pitch angle (θ) of the vehicle or the vehicle member, calibrating an inclinometer-vehicle relative misalignment pitch offset angle (θ p ) of the vehicle or the vehicle member comprising a stationary-mode or a dynamic-mode, and generating an in-vehicle inclination angle (θ r ) of the vehicle or the vehicle member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inclinometer method for generating an in-vehicle inclination angle (θ r ) of the vehicle or a vehicle member, the method comprising:
measuring an acceleration (v) of the vehicle or vehicle member;
measuring a pitch angular velocity (q) of a computer;
measuring a longitudinal accelerometer signal (a x,S ) of the computer;
generating an in-vehicle pitch angle (θ);
calibrating an inclinometer-vehicle relative misalignment pitch offset angle (θ p ) of the vehicle or vehicle member using a stationary-mode or a dynamic-mode based on a road grade of a road segment; and
generating an in-vehicle inclination angle (θ r ) of the vehicle or vehicle member,
wherein the vehicle is present, and
wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of: a car, a truck, and a construction equipment vehicle.

2. The inclinometer method of claim 1 , wherein calibration using the stationary-mode or the dynamic-mode comprises the steps of:
measuring a position of the vehicle or vehicle member with a Global Positioning System; and
map-matching the position of the vehicle or vehicle member to a Geographic Information System database.

3. The inclinometer method of claim 2 , wherein the Geographic Information System database comprises an attribute that records the road grade.

4. The inclinometer method of claim 1 , wherein generating the inclinometer-vehicle relative misalignment pitch offset angle (θ p ) is preformed on a smartphone.

5. The inclinometer method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle member is present, and wherein the vehicle member is selected from the group consisting of: a boom; a dipper stick; a bucket; a platform; a blade; and a chassis.

6. A system for generating an in-vehicle inclination angle (θ r ) of the vehicle or a vehicle member, the system comprising:
one or more computers, wherein the one or more computers comprise one or more processors and one or more sensors; and
a memory storing instruction which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
receive an acceleration ({dot over (ν)}) of the vehicle or vehicle member;
receive a pitch angular velocity (q) of the one or more computers;
receive a longitudinal accelerometer signal (a x,S ) of the one or more computers;
apply the operations to generate an in-vehicle pitch angle (θ) of the vehicle or vehicle member;
calibrate an inclinometer-vehicle relative misalignment pitch offset angle (θ p ) of the vehicle or vehicle member using a stationary-mode or a dynamic-mode based on a road grade of a road segment;
apply the in-vehicle pitch angle (θ) to the inclinometer-vehicle relative misalignment pitch offset angle (θ p ) to generate an in-vehicle inclination angle (θ r ) of the vehicle or vehicle member; and
present the in-vehicle inclination angle (θ r ) to a display unit in operable communication with the one or more processors,
wherein the vehicle is present, and
wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of: a car, a truck, and a construction equipment vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the memory storing instruction further causes the one or more processors to present the in-vehicle pitch angle (θ) to the display unit.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the stationary-mode or the dynamic-mode, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
receive a position of the vehicle or vehicle member with a Global Positioning System; and
apply a map-matching of the position of the vehicle or vehicle member to a Geographic Information System database.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the Geographic Information System database comprises an attribute that records the road grade.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system is portable.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more computers comprise a smartphone.

12. The system of claim of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle member is present, and wherein the vehicle member is selected from the group consisting of: a boom; a dipper stick; a bucket; a platform; a blade; and a chassis.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when implemented by one or more computers, causes the one or more computers to:
receive an acceleration ({dot over (ν)}) of a vehicle or a vehicle member;
receive a pitch angular velocity (q) of the one or more computers;
receive a longitudinal accelerometer signal (a x,S ) of the one or more computers;
generate in-vehicle pitch angle (θ) of the vehicle or vehicle member;
calibrate an inclinometer-vehicle relative misalignment pitch offset angle (θ p ) of the vehicle or vehicle member using a stationary-mode or a dynamic-mode based on a road grade of a road segment;
apply the in-vehicle pitch angle (θ) to the inclinometer-vehicle relative misalignment pitch offset angle (θ p ) to generate an in-vehicle inclination angle (θ r ) of the vehicle or vehicle member; and
present the in-vehicle inclination angle (θ r ) to a display unit of the one or more computers,
wherein the vehicle is present, and
wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of: a car, a truck, and a construction equipment vehicle.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the stationary-mode or the dynamic-mode comprises instructions which, when implemented by the one or more computers, causes the one or more computers to:
receive a position of the vehicle or vehicle member with a Global Positioning System; and
apply a map-matching of the position of the vehicle or vehicle member to a Geographic Information System database.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the Geographic Information System database comprises an attribute that records the road grade.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the one or more computers comprises a smartphone.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle member is present, and wherein the vehicle member is selected from the group consisting of: a boom, a dipper stick, a bucket, a platform, a blade, and a chassis.

Assignees

• Univ Hong Kong

Inventors

• Yeh Anthony Garon
• Zhong teng

Classifications

• B60W40/11 Primary

  Pitch movement · CPC title

• G01S19/45

  by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement · CPC title

• G01S19/53

  Determining attitude · CPC title

• G01S19/14

  specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G01S19/42 Primary

  Determining position · CPC title